Ghana’s representative to this year’s Miss World beauty pageant competition, Stephanie Adwoa Adjeiwaa Karikari, made history on Sunday evening when she became the second Ghanaian to win the ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ prize. Stephanie shared her prize with Miss Indonesia, on a unique night that saw some 120 other countries competing for honours.Her project work as Miss Ghana 2010, on maternal care, stood out among that of other contestants. A visibly stunned Stephanie couldn’t hide her excitement as she was, together with Miss Indonesia, announced winners of a prize that according to Julia Morley, Chairman of the Miss World Organization, is “unique in every way and forms the heart of the whole event”. By this enviable feat, Stephanie joins a growing list of young women, who are using their inherent beauty to make a difference in the lives of society’s needy, destitute and poor.

Meanwhile, this year’s Miss World contest, the 61st edition, took place at the Earls court Two, London. Some 2 billion people watched the finals on Sunday, which saw Venezuelan Ivian Lunasol Sarcos Colmenares crowned as Miss World 2011.